Accused Oscar thief to fight charge

The man accused of stealing Frances McDormand's Oscar will fight the charge, his lawyer says.

A lawyer for the man charged with stealing Frances McDormand's Academy Award says he and his client plan to "forcefully and aggressively resist" the allegations against him.

Attorney Daniel Brookman acknowledges suspect Terry Bryant can be seen on an Associated Press video holding McDormand's best actress statuette but those images do not rise to the seriousness of felony grand theft.

Bryant, 47, walked out of the Governors Ball Oscars after-party with the trophy on Sunday night, authorities said.

He was captured on the AP video holding it proudly over his head and saying: "All right baby boys and baby girls."

He quickly gave it up when confronted by a photographer, police say.

McDormand won the Oscar, her second, for her performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Bryant could get three years in jail if convicted.

Brookman said outside court, where Bryant was expected to make an appearance, his client would plead not guilty and ask for a reduction of his $US20,000 ($A28,000) bail.